Not every rocket needs to launch at warp speed

 

Not every rocket needs to launch at warp speed. Businesses need to walk before they fly.

Yet, we have managed to build a #StartupEcosystem where if you are not promising 10x to 100x returns, you are “not thinking big enough.”

That narrative ... 

It’s silently setting startups on fire.

In the rush for unicorn status, the situation behind the scenes is scary:

- Founders feel forced to make promises they can't deliver; not without breaking something or someone.

- Teams are pushed into unrealistic goals and targets that lead to burnout, shortcuts, and compromised ethics.

- Misinformation creeps in; projections, traction, even tech capabilities get “fine-tuned” for pitch decks.

- The once sought-after #StartupCulture is degrading into a toxic cesspool of stress and mental health crisis. 

We have already seen cases where services labelled as “AI-powered” were being delivered by underpaid humans working behind the curtain.

Some of the most promising startups, with brilliant ideas and capable teams, are folding not because of bad product-market fit but because they were forced to scale unrealistically. They were operating on hope and not like a real business.

The pressure to grow at unnatural speeds is a silent killer.

And often, it’s not just the founder’s greed; it’s the investor’s impatience.

(although in some cases, it was clearly the founder's greed and unethical conduct) 

Look back at the giants of the last century; IBM, GE, Toyota, Nestlé, even Apple in its early years.

They were built slowly, with deliberate growth, guided by long-term thinking.

They weathered downturns, refined their models, and became institutions over time; not just valuations on paper.

We need to rewire the conversation around pitch decks and funding.

From “How fast can you grow?”

To “How long can you endure?”

From “What’s your exit strategy?”

To “What’s your legacy strategy?”

If we want to build durable businesses; 

not just burn through another cycle of hype;

Investors need to lead with vision, not just velocity. 

#SustainableGrowth will be the key. 

Systemic changes are happening in the 

ecosystem of #VCFunding and #Investments.  

And soon everyone will feel the difference. 

And Founders?

They should be permitted to say:

“We’re building for the long haul. Not for the next headline.”

#SustainableGrowth #Leadership #InvestorMindset #BuildToLast #UncomfortableCoach  #CoachHemant